Tube bundle assembly



Aug. 9; 19.60 l

' D. l.. cosNER 2,948,517`

v TUBE BUNDLE ASSEMBLY Filed Jan. 5, 1956 V.TUBEBUNDLE ASSEMBLY Donald L. Cosner, Baldwin, Md., assignor to The Martin Company, a corporation of Maryland .prima Jams, 19s6,ser.No.ss7,soo

sclaims. (c1. 257-248) This invention relates to heat exchanger apparatus and more'f'particularly to an karrangement for spacing the tubes of a tube bundle for use in connection with a heat exchanger.

In a tube bundle, as used in a heat exchanger, it is necessary to maintain tubes at spaced intervals in relation to one another so that fluid may flow both inside and outside of the tubes. The tubes must not come in contact with one another and their relative positions should be xed and secured. The conventional method of attempting to achieve these results, has been to weld the tubes to tube sheets and then perforate the tube Sheets to provide for flow outside the tube. od is not only expensive, laborious and ineliicient, but so far as close interval spacing is concerned, completely ineective. Other methods employing devices to it between the tubes tend to greatly impede iiow outside the tubes.

These methods alsov create a turbulence in the flow of uid which turbulence greatly cuts down the heat transferred from the tubes to the coolant thereby appreciably decreasing the eiciency of the heat exchanger.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a method for spacing tubes in a tube bundle in a substantially stationary relation.

It is another object of this invention to provide a method for spacing tubes in a tube bundle which will not impede the flow and will greatly decrease the turbulence of this iow outside the tubes:

It is also the object of this invention to provide a method for spacing tubes in a tube bundle at close in- Fig. 1 is an end view of one end of the tube bundle;

Fig. 2. is a side view of the tube bundle;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of a pair of tubes showing the wire mounting.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Referring now to the drawings, the tubes 1 are arranged in parallel relationship, their ends forming a triangle as shown in Fi-g. 1. Enclosing each end of the tube bundle are triangularly shaped tube shells 2, the inner peripheries of which are slightly greater than the outer periphery of the tube bundle.

Each tube shell is shown as having sides 3, 4 and a bottom `5. A series of wires 6 extend at equal intervals from the bottom 5 tothe side 4. Another series of wires 7 extend at equal intervals from the bottom 5 to the side 3; the ends of the wires are fixed by some suitable method such as welding to tube shellv 2. The sets of wires 6 and 7 are arranged in a grid, that is, the series of wires 6 in one plane are arranged to extend at an angle to the series of wires 7 in another plane. While the triangular tube shell is shown, it is to be understood that vany supporting means may be employed to position the two sets of parallel wires angularly disposed to each other in spaced planes.

' Each of the tubes 1 is provided at each end with a pair of diametrically opposed apertures 8 and another pair of diametrically opposed apertures 9 at a diierent station along the axis of the tube. Sets ofapertures 8 and 9 are adapted to allow the diametrical passage of wires 6 and 7 through tube 1. As seen in Fig. 3, the

sets of wires 6 are on a'slightly diiferent plane along the axis of the tube than the sets of Wires 7, but both sets are near an end of the tube bundle. It will be seen, therefore, that a tube may be located in space by the intersection of the transverse sets of wires adjacent each This methend. The term wire is used herein to designate the member on which the tubes are threaded and spaced but a rod or even a tube should be understood to be equivalent in this specification and claims.Y

In vthis manner, it'will be appreciated, each tube 1 is held firmly at both ends in a spaced relationship to the other tubes 1 and to the tube shells 2, yet the method ofk support is such that it will not impede the ilow inside or outside of the tubes.

Metal spider or grid members 11, 12 and 13 extend from the inner periphery of the tube shell 2 to a shaft 14. The grid members 11, 12 and 13 are xed by some method such as welding to the tube shell and the shaft 14. The shaft 14 functions as a support member for the tube bundle.

It is to be understood that various changes could be made in the construction of the above described embodiment Without departing from the spirit of the invention as expressed in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a heat exchanging apparatus in which tubes are spaced in a bundle in a xed parallel relationship, the combination With said tubes of a pair of sets of Wires adjacent each end of the tubes, the wires of one set being angularly disposed with respect to the Wires of the other set forming a network, said sets of wires being arranged in generally parallel planes spaced longitudinally of the tubes, the ends of said tubes in said bundles having pairs of diametrically opposed apertures, said pairs of apertures at one end of the tube arranged to conform with the angularity of said wires in said network, a wire of each set passing through said diametrically opposed apertures to position the ends of each tube in xed relationship to the ends of the others of said tubes at the intersection of said wires forming said network.

2. In a heat exchanging apparatus in which tubes are spaced in a tube bundle, the combination with said tubes of a pair of sets of wires intermediate the ends of the tubes, the Wires of one set being angularly disposed with respect to the wires of the other set forming a network, said sets of wires being arranged in generally parallel planes spaced longitudinally of the tubes, the ends of said tubes in said bundles having pairs of diametrically opposed apertures, said pairs of apertures at one end of the tube arranged to conform with the angularity of said wires in said network, a Wire of each set passing through said diametrically opposed apertures to fix in position the ends of each tube at the intersection of said Wires forming said network.

3. In combination with a heat exchanging apparatus in which a plurality of tubes are spaced in fixed parallel relationship, a tube bundle comprising a plurality of tubes each having diametrically opposed apertures formed therein, a wire extending transversely of said tubes and through said apertures, means to prevent said tubes from movement along said wire, a tube shell surrounding said plurality of tubes, and means for securing the opposite ends-of said wire to the opposite sides of said tube shell. 4. In combination with a heat exchanging apparatus in which a plurality of tubes are spaced in fixed paral- Patented Aug. 9, 196.0

lel relationship, a tube bundle comprising a plurality of tubes each having a first pair of opposed apertures formed therein,L a second pair of opposed apertures formed therein at different longitudinal stations thansaidk first pair, a first Wire extending' radially AVVacross-said tube and through said first apertures, a second 'Wire :extending kr,radially across said tube and through said 'second apertures, a tube shell surrounding said plurality of tubes,

and means for securing the opposite ends ofk saidwires to the opposite sides of said tube shell. 5. In combination with a heat exchanging apparatus in which a plurality of, tubes are spaced in fixed parallel relationship, ka tube bundle comprising aplurality of i tubes each having opposed apertures formed therein, a i

' s Wire extending radially across a plurality of said tubes and through said apertures, means to prevent said tubes f from movementk along said Wire, a tube shell surrounding said plurality of tubes, a portion of said tube shell extending beyond'said plurality of tubes, a grid memi ber fixed to the inner periphery of said tubeshell and extending inwardly, vand a supporting shaft'mernber fixed to the inward ends of said grid member. i f i s ReferencesCited in the file of'this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1 305,713 Ryan nu--- Sept. 23, 1884 773,106 Stier Oct. 25, 1904k 2,229,344 'arschneiderrr Jan. 21 1941 2,628,046 Hart .5 Feb. 10, 1953 2,806,819 Christy etaL ..2 Sept. 17, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTSl s n f OTHER `REFERENCES Proceedings of The International Conference on The s Peaceful, Uses ofi Atomic Energy (vol. 3, ypage 138, Fig f `ure 4), held :in Genevafon August 8-20, 1955'. f

Atomic Energy Industry Reporter, lNews and Analfk/sis,`

Number 9., August 3, 1955 (Section 1159). 

